blowout

Interestingly enough, no wild animals were found dead in the Tsunami aftermath. And as if the Asian disaster didn't bring enough devastation over the holiday week, there was a nightclub fire in Buenos Aires last night claiming 175 lives.

Derailment of the week: Anna Nicole-Smith getting stripped of her $88.5 million inheritance.

I'm getting into a groove with some new house choons this week:

JT Donaldson & Lance Desardi - San Fran Sessions 5
Dmitri from Paris - Int'l Flight
John Digweed - Fabric Live 20 (advance)
Miguel Migs - 24th Street Sounds

I enjoyed this article about the man behind the bittorrent program, Brahm Cohen, and the program's potentially positive effects on various forms of media. And then there's the darkerside.

It's the new year in Australia. In fact, every hour on the hour, it will be new year somewhere. So hold your glass up!

-drinkin', thinkin, nephin'-

schooled

After breaking a dish due to my lack of depth perception, I settled down and watched funny man Jack Black and one of my favorite actor's sisters, Joan Cusack ("as I live & breath, it's Mrs. Stubbs!") in School of Rock which was downright hilarious, even though it had kids in it.

The Buffs beat UTEP in the Houston Bowl yesterday 33-28, unfortunately I couldn't watch because the game was on at 2pm. The fact that the 71,000 seat stadium was only 27,000 people full, suggests that football games don't really work in the middle of the afternoon in the middle of the week.

Flood count: 120,000. =(

Jerry Springer: the Opera is being released in England this week. Now if someone would only make Silence of the Lambs: the Musical the world would truly be a better place.

-biting the hand that feeds, neph-

hollow point

I've decided it's time for a new area rug in the entrance way of my abode. I went to Target last night to use my xmas gift card to this effect, but wound up buying candles instead. Because you care, that's why.

The death toll in Southeast Asia is up to 80,000 now - Holy Shit! As if that didn't suck enough, the quake may have caused the earth to speed up it's rotation. We now have an additional leap second tacked on to the end of each year.

I just returned from the optometrist, and now everything looks strange.

-lysergisized, neph-

waning interest

With the death toll at around 50,000 from the recent Asian natural disaster, one may wonder if Tsunami's back catalogue will get the much needed boost that Anthrax received a few years back when the mail was contaminated.

Trainwreck of the week award: Liza Minnelli falling out of her bed.

Follow Up: Local Lafayette man & dipshit, Alek Komarnitsky, claims he "played a hoax" on everybody who tried to turn his xmas lights on & off via the internet while they watched online through his webcam. I'm all for clever hoaxes, but the whole premise of this one was extremely lame from the get go. After about 15 seconds on his poorly organized website, you got bored trying to find the link which was meant to "control" the lights and eventually navigated away. Maybe he should set up a webcam on halloween so people can watch his house getting egged.

-nephtovers-

feel it coming

It's funny how the week between xmas & nye still seems like a vacation even though you're working. There's erie in the air.

Maybe that's because of the tsumani that wiped out a good portion of coastal Asia. Un-nom.

-nephew-

monitron tan

Not much doin' today. No one's around. It's freezing out and snowy. I've been in contact with a skeleton crew on the east coast and the outlook is similar, except no snow.

I suppose I could make a list of my top albums of 2004 (alphabetically):

beta band - Heroes to Zeroes
blonde redhead - Misery Is A Butterfly
bright channel - s/t
clinic - Winchester Cathedral
the faint - Wet from Birth
gerdern state - OST
guided by voices - Half Smiles of the Decomposed
hot IQ's - s/t
interpol - Antics
jens lekman - Maple Leaves EP
modest mouse - Good News...
joanna newsom - Milk-Eyed Mender
orb - Bicycles & Tricycles
erlend oye - DJ Kicks
sonic youth - Sonic Nurse
sondre lerche - Two Way Monologue
the streets - A Grand Don't Come For Free

I've been listening to just about everything and enjoying a lot of it, but I think these are the ones I may still listen to next year. I'm sure there are a couple more which slipped throught the cracks (i.e. came out earlier in the year), but if I had to pick 17, that would be them.

If you're worried about looking your best over the holidays, and don't stare at a computron monitron all day like I do, you can always go to your local spray tan booth. It sure looks like a lot of fun:



I'll bet she looks pretty good after the color develops, or drys, or whatever it does!

-bronzin', neph-

snowfus

Let it snow, oh lord of the flakes. The day is off to a promissing start with several inches of snow (and still falling), and the news that the Randy Johnson trade fell through. Merry xmas american league east!

Someone leaked the new Crooked Fingers album, due out in January. I'm a bit turned off by the Azure Ray backing vox on several of the tracks. I've never really been fond of that tedious collaboration.

Here's a funny song about Kwanza.

One from the "my daddy was a bankrobber deptartment". I find it fascinating when these things happen in real life, and not just in Oceans 13.

-Dedicated to getting you the bigger half of the bone, nephew-

yummy holiday goodness

laptastic

The inventor of my favorite evening drink claims that, "the image of Red Bull is definitely nothing to do with any food product, but has a luxury, lifestyle identification." To this I tip my nose upward and exclaim, "brah-vo".

Vomit alert: Ashlee Simpson will sing(?) during
halftime at the Orange Bowl on January 4th in Miami. They deserve to host her redonk schtick as karmic retribution for the Dolpins embarrassing the Pats last night. Do you remember the Squish the Fish (or was it the Skin the Fins) thing from 1986?

It looks like Suprnova is no longer around. Not a great loss, I suppose - as of late there has been a decline in both quality & diversity of releases. Besides, legend has it that when one vanishes, three will appear.

On that note, I'm currently enjoying my store bought version of Chin Up, Chin Up's new release, We Should Have Never Lived Like We Were Skyscrapers.

-split level, neph-

barritoOOOOoone

If you make upward motions around your chest area with the palm of your hand, you will be able to sing with a deeper voice.

wrap-up

Hot off the heels of Friday night's holiday party courtesy of Phil & Laura, came a delightful lunch of fish & chips & XXX Ale (nitrogened, of course) at the Mountain Sun. After Derrick left for work, Jacq, Dylan & I decided to gallavant down Pearl Street where we met up with Stephanie & Karey at the Rio. And it's a good thing we did, because prior to that moment my NYE plans were looking grim. It was either Pinback, the Album Leaf & These Arms Are Snakes at the Adam's Mark Hotel (?) or Carlos D of Interpol spinning at La Rumba. As it turns out, Karey is having an NYE extravaganza at her swanky denver loft. Armed with this information, it was off to the Cheesecake Factory so I could use up a gift certificate I've had since 1999 (!).

The day was winding down and it was time to relocate to a comfortable place for the christmakuh edition of the OC game. It was during this time my front door was repaired, we discovered that red bull does taste good with certain beers, and that Dylan was taking up the bass.

-plerns, neph-

bang bang

I'm kind of bummed the Sox got rid of Pedro Martinez (to the f-in Mets of all teams). Maybe they deserve him, as he can be kind of a loose canon. Let's also pray that the damn Yankees don't sign Randy Johnson, that's the last thing we need. There are far too many trades in the offseason.

A glass of red wine a day (along with fish, dark chocolate, fruit & veggies, garlic, and almonds) will keep the doctors away, according to a new study. Because you needed affirmation that wine is essence of the good life.

I unofficially came in 2nd place in the nfl pool this week. I was disqualified because they found out I used to work as a Vegas oddsmaker. Better luck next time.

Going to the Russell's holiday party tonite, complete with mulled vodka punch & a pool tourny.

-nephew-

tragedy

cry me a river

The new Strong Bad email is pretty funny this week. But not as funny as last week's email.

I watched a documentary on the Red Sox on hbo last night, and was moved to tears. I'm such a masshole.

I just received my Tony Chachere's in the mail. When I was in Floriduh, I found something decent called Everglades Heat. I have not been successful in finding anything remotely similar here so, needless to say, I am delighted that this package has finally arrived.

-very hot, very hot-

home-ade

Came accross this at breakfast spot in CA last March.

mulling it over

Just found a recipe for glerrg!

Some ding dongs in Lafayette have their xmas lights viewable by webcam. Apparently there is a way you can turn them off & on via their website. It makes no sense to me.

Hollywood should be more concerned with making better movies than with bittorrent. Example: Christmas with the Cranks.

Musical obsession of the day: Jens Lekman. Listen to Black Cab and share in my adulation.

-nephew-

trailer

Here is the Revenge of the Sith trailer. If you look closely, you can see the crowd from Bonaroo.

adverts

If you're feeling particularly socially conscious today, you can sign the ActForChange Petition: Urge CBS & NBC to Run Anti-Bigotry Ad. If not, you can skip that and read about the Golden Globe nominations instead.

Coachella is rumored to have a good line-up for 2005.

Holiday er word of the season: ergnerg.

Deep Thought: Why is it that Ashlee Simpson still has a career when she got caught blatantly lyp-synching on SNL? When Milli Vanilli got caught, they got their grammy revoked. I suppose there's no accounting for the media's whims. Maybe it's because Donald Trump thinks her sister is beautiful, and people feel sorry that the younger sibling got hit with the ugly stick.

Lighter Note: It seems that the phantom buzzing has ceased. I can now enjoy uninterrupted radio transmissions.

Weekend Notes: Another great OC game on friday. Two not-so-hot parties, and one great pre-party on saturday w/ dylan, jacq & jen. A rousing performance of Cats (the office xmas party) on Sunday - can't get Mr. Mistoffelees out of my head.

-nephstoph-

the neph

more to come...

time & a place

I placed 3rd in last week's nfl pool (11-5). Ever since I started participating, I have been a guessing force to be reckoned with.

Umm, concert shootings? That's about as cool as concert fires. Not that I was ever a huge Damageplan fan...but WTF? Score another one for the state that's round on both ends and high in the middle.

I'm working on posting some photos soon - stay tuned.

-nephew-

kelli

I learned something about kelli this week. She sure has a lot of email addys.

new rules

Thnk you to the Edge City Chronicle for adding my suggestions (#8-11, season 2) to the OC drinking game.

Today's enjoyable listens:
spiritualized - Amazing Grace
tortoise - Millions Now Living Will Never Die
alkaline trio - From Here to Infirmery
sabres of paradise - Sabersonic (smokebelch II is a classic!!)
galaxie 500 - On Fire (top notch cover of Ceremony)
clinic - Internal Wrangler

-nothing better, neph-

do you see what I hear?

Why do people insist upon the highest megapixel resolution for their cameras, but go gaga over inferior to cd quality mp3's?

-visually prepared, neph-

growth potential

Every year we run out of lights for the trees. They keep growing, after all.

CU got whooped by OU, and are now playing UTEP in the Houston Bowl - not one of the more interesting bowls, but a bowl nonetheless. On a lighter note, I have 2 foil ducks full of leftover goodness from the fam din after the annual CU holiday festival in which Ana played violin. You'd think I actually went to CU or something.

Things I enjoyed listening to today:
tortoise - TNT
clinic - winchester cathedral
mountain goats - new asian cinema EP

Movie I wasn't really excited about seeing over the weekend:
Closer

-neph-

time killer

Here is friday's deeply profound & thought provokingsite of the day. It makes you want to donate money to charities.

I finally joined THE swanky gym this week. They have flatscreens above all the equipment you can plug your headphones into and more toiletries in the locker rooms than I do at home.

And finally, friday's (kinda) techno of the day: Stone Roses - Remixes.

-neph-

and the winner is...

...Me! I won the mortgage broker's football pool this week. I came in 2nd the week before, because I'm a huge sports pool shark.

For those of you who watch to much Real World / Road Rules challenge and think you're creative enough to make your own t-shirt, but are not dexterous enough to iron on your own puffy letters, now you can pay Neighborhoodies to do it for you.

spins

Here's some more of what I am listening to today and how I feel about it:

john spencer blue's explosion - ACME (good & raunchy *B+)
palaxy tracks - Twelve Rooms (pleasant, but a stubbed toe might be more entertaining *D)
global communication - 76 14 (classic ambient blipiness *B)
styrofaom - Misguided (idm pop that seems to be all the rage these days, w/ guest vocalists -ben gibbard anyone? *B range depending on the guest)
CocoRosie - La Maison de mon Reve (a lot like Joanna Newsom, you have to be in that old-timey female vocal w/ random & minimal instruments kind of mood *B+)
LCD soundsystem - s/t (I can't decide if I actually enjoy, or just tolerate this kind of music *C-)
Earth Vol. 3 (LTJ compiled downtempo, tolerable but not nearly as good as Vol. 1 *B-)
luna - Rendevouz (not their best, not their worst *B)

-nerph-

2 front teeth

I want a laserpod for xmas...